Typically, conventional electrical and electronic assembly systems used in a wide range of applications are secured from the environment effects using enclosures made of metals. For example, electronic assemblies in high power applications and those used under harsh environment conditions use metals for structural elements. Metal components are used due to their desirable mechanical properties, availability, manufacturability, and electrical properties. Accordingly, there is a bias toward the use of metal to make various components.
In the field of vehicle applications such as aircraft, different metals and combinations of metals are in widespread use. The use of metal has the drawback of weight. Metals are relatively heavier than other materials, and so every metallic component adds weight to the system. Any addition in weight has an impact on vehicle efficiency, which is compounded when the vehicle operates in the air. To maintain the desired vehicle performance to handle the vehicle's weight, various capabilities such as those of the powerplant need to be increased when the weight is greater.
Conventionally in an electronic system packaging, if a material other than metal is considered for a component, a number of limitations inhibit its use. Though there are many available non-metal materials that weigh less than metal, they generally do not meet the required mechanical and electrical properties. Since most of the parts in an electronic packaging system require certain characteristics that are provided by metal, limited opportunities have existed for the use on non-metal materials.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for optimizing the use of non-metals as structural components in electronic packaging component applications. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.